


Words of Advice

by IllegalCerebral



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bonding, Fluff, Friendship, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 16:12:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16957239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllegalCerebral/pseuds/IllegalCerebral
Summary: Due to recent issues you have been kept at the tower during missions while the Avengers go out saving the world. That suits you fine, you feel better on your own anyway (kind off). However when Thor brings his brother to the tower you find you aren't alone any more - and that may not be a bad thing.





	Words of Advice

The tower was quiet, or at least everyone was making the effort to be quiet around you. The tiptoeing had been going on for weeks since you had become withdrawn and morose. You weren’t called on for missions, everyone spoke to you in low, pitying voices and when they weren’t doing that they were plastering on fake smiles and being forcefully cheerful.

You tried your hardest to be cheerful back, to help with the post-mission debriefs and even spending time in the lab helping Bruce organise the space or tidying the training area after Steve and Nat had gone a few rounds. It was all an act though and the only time you started to feel even a little better was when you were on your own. Things were quitter and less…cluttered. It was causing concern however, you had picked up on the others whispering about you. It broke your heart because it came from a place of love, they obviously cared, but you couldn’t force yourself to feel a certain way.

The one saving grace was that after Thor brought Loki home you were no longer the Avengers’ most pressing problem.

“Hey hot shot” Tony waltzed into the room set aside for your office one day without knocking. You looked up from your pile of books “We have a mission, nothing major but there’s an old Hydra base up north we’ve been getting some funky readings on. The team is rolling out”

“Okay. I can prep the-“

“No…I’m telling you because you won’t be here alone while we’re gone and I need you to be careful”

“Is this about Loki?”

“Hell yeah. Thor seems to think Reindeer Games is legit but I don’t like the idea of him having the run of the tower unsupervised. I know you don’t want in on missions at the moment-“ you squirmed slightly at that. Tony paused. “I just want you be safe okay hot shot?”

“I’ll be fine” you assured him “I have JARVIS right?”

“You do indeed. I have put several extra security protocols in place to ensure the integrity of both the tower and yourself” the AI’s voice echoed around you.

“See” you said in a tone of voice way more positive than you felt “I’m going to be alright. Hell maybe I’ll get to know him better while you guys are away”

“He isn’t the friendly type” growled Tony “I’ll be checking in with JARVIS every thirty minutes while we’re out but do not hesitate to sound the alarm if you sense something is up okay?”

“I promise” you said softly. After a brief pause Tony pulled you into an awkward hug before heading out. It was…sweet but unexpected and it reminded you that they did care even if they had an awkward way of showing it.

Once alone you headed to the communal area at the top of the tower, partly because you wanted to live up to Tony’s faith in you and partly because you were curious. You hadn’t seen much of Loki since he had arrived, Thor was somewhat to blame for that, but here he was in the common area…yelling at the ceiling.

“Everything okay?” you asked. Loki paused mid rant.

“This ridiculous machine is trying to stop me from moving around the tower!”

“As I have explained” said JARVIS smoothly “I am not stopping you from moving around. It is merely the case that certain areas are restricted. You have full use of your quarters, the training area and the communal eating and socialising areas”

“But not the lab” snapped Loki “Not the archive or the comms room or mission control. Nowhere that would actually be of any interest”

“We have a library” you suggested before JARVIS could respond.

“That is correct,” said the AI “That is not off limits”

“If you’re interested,” you said with a small shrug. Loki fixed you with a penetrating look that made you want to shrink away. You held firm “Otherwise you can get something to eat or head back to your room” You turned on your heel, not making it two steps before Loki called out your name. It took you by surprise. You didn’t realise he knew who you were.

“The library will suffice” he said, gesturing for you to lead the way.

“I…uh. Okay” you said.

The library was only one floor down so you didn’t need to walk in awkward silence for long. It took up most of the floor with a small reading area in the centre as well as nooks to hide away in that were dotted amongst the shelves.

“We have pretty much everything” you said awkwardly.

“Everything Midgardian perhaps” said Loki, examining the shelves. He pulled out a heavy manual on Quantum Physics and flicked through “It reminds me of one of my school text books. Is there anything more advanced?”

“That particular tome was published last year and is it currently one of the most cutting edge works in that field” said JARVIS. Loki rolled his eyes.

“There’s fiction too” you suggested and headed away from him “Mythology, though that might hit too close to home. Horror? Crime? There’s more literary stuff too, I think Bruce insists. There’s also stuff in multiple languages: Russian, for Nat, but French, Mandarin, Spanish. There’s even Latin and Ancient Greek.”

“And an awful lot of these” Loki plucked a romance novel off the shelf. You paused, wondering whether you should tell him they were all Tony’s choice. Probably not. Being thrown off the top of the tower by Iron Man wasn’t an inviting prospect.

“Yeah we have a lot of those” you grinned “And these” You held up _Lord of the Rings_ , nestled in among the science-fiction and fantasy that you adored.

“What about those?” Loki pointed to the shelf above.

“Graphic novels” Loki looked at you blankly “Stories told through pictures”

“Oh like a manuscript?” he said as you handed it to him “Quite beautiful”

“Not the reaction I was expecting. Lots of people don’t consider these proper books”

“Because they have pictures?" Loki snorted “Such a limited way of thinking”

For the next hour or so you sat in a chair, watching as Loki picked random books off of the shelf and flicked through them. He gravitated toward poetry at first but also made sure to pick up _Lord of the Rings_ and also made his way through a fair few of Tony’s beloved romance novels.

“It’s wonder there isn’t a health crises with all these Midgardian hospitals being staffed by over amorous physicians” he quipped as he reached the end of a medical romance series “I do appreciate a happy resolution though”

“Really?”

“Of course. The universe is a messy, awful place. If we are to escape into stories they should at least offer a respite from that”

It made sense when put that way.

“May I ask you a question?”

“Sure” you dragged out the word, hesitant about what was coming next.

“Why didn’t you join the other Avengers on their mission?” You bit your lip, Loki continued. “Ever since I arrived here you always stay behind”

“I…”

“You do not have to answer” Loki waved his hand and picked up another book. You watched him for a moment, weighing your options.

“I’m not in a great place mentally at the moment” you said finally “I’m sitting out of missions while I…”

While you what? What were you doing?

“While you heal?” ventured Loki.

“I guess” you shrugged “Though it doesn’t feel like I’m doing much healing”

“Not that it is my concern but are you speaking to someone?”

“The team…don’t get it,” you said sadly.

“There are eight billion people on this planet” drawled Loki “Most of whom are not on your team. There must be someone to talk to”

“I…I guess but…”

“Ah I see,” said Loki “You aren’t good at asking for help or you think it will make you appear weak?”

“I…” you couldn’t think of an answer to that.

“What you do is your business,” said Loki, eyes dropping to the open page in front of him “But I do not think it is weak to ask for help. Rather I think it demonstrates strength of character to acknowledge that need within you. Take it from someone who knows”

“You do?”

“My path here was…fraught” Loki said carefully. You thought of the carnage of New York. Fraught was an understatement. “It took a while for things to become clear”

“I’m sorry”  
“As am I” said Loki and there was a hint of something sad in his voice.

“But you’re here now” you said.

“As are you”

He was right. You were here, despite everything, you were still here. You resolved to speak to Tony as soon as he was back, see if there was anyone you could reach out to. For the moment you grabbed some books and moved to sit opposite Loki. He glanced up briefly as you opened _The Fellowship of the Ring_ and smiled before turning back to his own book.


End file.
